A process for the conversion of paraffins to olefins involves passing a normal paraffin stream over a highly selective catalyst, where the normal paraffin is dehydrogenated to the corresponding mono-olefin. The dehydrogenation reaction is achieved under mild operating conditions, thereby minimizing the loss of feedstock.
The typical process involves the use of a radial flow reactor where a paraffin feedstock is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under reaction conditions. The typical process involves dehydrogenating linear paraffins in the C2 to C11 range to produce olefins used as monomers used in the formation of polymers, or as plasticizers, or for dehydrogenating paraffins in the C10 to C14 range to produce linear olefins for the production of linear alkyl benzenes (LABs), and for dehydrogenating paraffins in the C12 to C17 range to produce detergent alcohols or olefin sulfonates.
As an example, sulfuric acid alkylation prefers linear C4 olefins as a feedstock because alkylation with n-butene and isobutane produces higher octane alkylate, as high octane alkylate is synonymous with high octane gasoline. Typically, olefins are either externally purchased or are present in internal refinery streams. Recent changes in feedstock pricing and feedstock availability have created interest in first producing the linear olefins required, followed by subsequent alkylation.